Considerable efforts have been directed toward finding suitable flavoring agents which are capable of imparting a desired flavor and/or aroma to foodstuffs. Many popular items of commerce such as soft drinks, wines, gelatin products, confectionery products and the like have grape flavors. Good reconstituted and synthetic grape flavors are in demand for such products. Concord grapes have an intense characteristic flavor which is greatly preferred over the flavors of other varieties of grapes. It is especially desirable to have a flavoring material which imparts the characteristic flavor of Concord grapes.
The aroma of methyl anthranilate has been described as reminiscent of Concord grapes (S. Arctander, "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", 1st ed., Steffin Arctander, Montclair, N.J., 1969, Monograph 1910). It has also been reported (Tressler, D. K., and Joslyn, M. A., "Fruit and Vegetable Juice", 795, Avi Publishing Co., Inc., Westport, Conn., 1961) that, "the aroma of Concord grapes closely resembles that of methyl anthranilate" . . . and that "the methyl anthranilate increased during the ripening of the grape but that the flavor and aroma of Concord grapes is not entirely due to this ester". Methyl anthranilate lacks the bready, meaty natural aroma of Concord grapes. Consequently, most imitation grape flavors based on methyl anthranilate also lack these characteristics and there is a need for flavor components which will impart to such imitation flavors the bready, meaty notes found in the natural flavor.
2-Mercaptobenzoic acid and methods for preparing it have been repoted (Allen, C. H. F., and MacKay D. D., "Organic Synthesis", Coll. Vol. 2, 580, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 1943). However, its use as a flavor material was heretofore unknown.